Aeroplane.



P. 0. FOX.

ABROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED PEB.3,1912.

Patented Mar. 11, 1913.

2 SHEETB-SHEET 1 3 wucnto'p Patented Mar. 11, 1913.

JorZer Oil "0x1 aiiouuq P. (1. FOX. AEROPLANE. APPLICATION FILED 11:11.3, 1012.

W'Mmw UNITED srn rns r nnrir (neuron.

PORTER Cl. FOX, OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOIR TO THE FOX COMPANY. OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON, A CORPORATION OF \VASHINGTON.

AEROPLANE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 3, 1912.

Patented liar. 13,1913.

Serial No. 675.159.

To all io/wm'z't may concern:

Be it known that I, PoR'rER C. Fox, a citizen of the United States. residing at Spokane, in the county of Spokane and State of \Vashington, have invented new and useful Improvements in Aeroplanes. of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to aerial craft of thehea-vier than air type and has for its object to equip air planes \vi. a novel type of control whereby the ascent or descent may be regulated at will by the difference of force between two propellers arranged at different elevations and one in ad vanee ot the other. A further purpose of the invention is the provision of means whereby the engine may be disconnected from the propellers to permit the latter to come to rest while the engine kept in motion so that in an emergency the propellers may he instantly started "to cause the machine to ad vance and at the same time to rise by proper: adjustment or the control govermi'ig' the ascent of the machine.

The invention further C011tlfl] )lt1lS front and rear rudders which are so connected a to admit 'of the machine making a short turn, and one of the rudders being so placed with reterence to the propeller to prevent rotation of the air with the propeller.

The invention also contemplates a unique form of wheel base emhodvim front, and 1 rear wheels. one set. of wheels being mounted in a i'nanner to admit of turning the plane when the machine is rum'iing upon the surface whereby the machine is caused to rise independently of the control provided for regulating the rise and fall of the machine when in flight.

The invention consists oi the novel teatures, details 01 construction and combination of parts, which hereinafter will he more particularly set forth, illustrated in the acthe appended claim.

.leferring to the drawings, forming a part of the specification, Figure 'l. aside view of a flying machine embodying theinvencompanying drawings, and pt'iintiull-out in tion. Fig. 2 is an. end view of the machine.

Fig. 3 a top plan view at the machine, the lower structure being omitted. Fig, lis a detail view of the lower rear propeller. showing more clearly the means for Chang ing the angular position oi the lilades. or wlngs.

Cm'resuondii and like parts are referred toin thefollowingdescription.and indicated in all the views of tlu' draiviugg or the. same reference f'llai'a rtil'r-f.

The machine compriees e a entiallv an up per structure and a lower :-lilu'll1lt. the latter being stepeuded from the superstruc ture and provided with a plritlorni or other supportiiuz' means tor receiving the. open atoi, the entfino and the control. The elerated structure is surnuumteil by the air plane and Contains tilt tr ut and rear rudders. "he 'lranumorl; ot' on machine may he of any light and sululantial s ructure which is suitably braced to insure strength.

' air plane is indicated at l and nurv 15. it WM peller (i mounted upon 4 louhiwhtul shalt T. The two p fiiiil olzitl 3 are lo at d iirtlitl'orent horizon ltlll!fand a1 oppo sit ends ot the inn. liizu :iud are oi su h eon struetio1. so that males normal conditions they exert a lilo: toriivlmreliv the machine may he propelled in a straight lorlxontal line. A. drive chain t} connect the two shafts and l' and pas. around sprocket wheels Sttlll'tll to said The engine is indicated at nlltl may lie of any type couinuuil employed for driving airships. Jl drive cl t It) connects the engine shaft with a armo -net sheet ti ltiuwt} upon the shaft T. clutch til ha ing a feather and splin tllilllitftllflli with the shall T is adapted to be thrown into and out of engagement with the sprocket wheel 11 and is operated rapidity by means of a lever 13 within convenient varying The front rudder .14 is located in advance of the front propeller at and close thereto so asto prevent rotation or churning of the air in advance of the propeller 4. The rudder ll is arranged vertically and intermedi' ate ..1 the longitudinal edges of the plane 1. The rear rudder is likewise arranged in a vertical plane and is approximately about twice the width of the rudder 14. The two rudders 14 and 15 are mounted toturn about the action of the air whereby wheels may be raised vertical axes and their shafts are provided with cross bars 16 and 17 which are connected by crossed wires or cables 18, wherebythe rudders 14 and 15 when turned may assume opposite angles, thereby enabling the machine to make a short turn. An 0p- 19 has connection with one of like parts 18 so that both rudders 14 and 15 may be simultaneously moved when the operating lever 19 is actuated. The superstructure comprises a platform 20 which receives the engi e and the operator and to which the wheel base is attached, said wheel base comprising front wheels 21 and rear wheels 22, both sets ofwheels being cushioned by suitable springs or buffers to compensate, for shock. The front wheels 21. are adapted to be raised or lowered for the primary purpose of tilting the plane 1 so as to rise from the ground after the machine has acquired a proper momentum in the initial run. An operating lever 23 has connection with the front wheels 21 and by proper inanipulatiom thereof the front or lowered at the will erating lever the wires or of the operator.

The lower rear propeller 6 comprises adjustable wings which may be moved to present a greater or less effective surface for when the propeller is driven at a given speed its effective force may be varied. An operating lever 24: has connection with :1 sliding collar 25 'inountcd upon the shaft 7, and which collar is connected with the wings of the propeller to admit of adjustment thereof. W'hen the lever 2.4 is operated the wings of the propeller (l. are turned to a greater or-lcss angle, thereby offering more or less resistance to the air and consequently varying the power \Vhcn both propellers 4' of: the propeller. and fl generat a like force the machine is driven straight ahead, but when the wings of the propeller ii are adjusted so-that. said prog'mller operates with a greater force than the propeller 4 the lower portion of the machine is driven ahead so asto till the plane 1 and thereby cause the machine to rise, the of the ascent being regulated by the force of the propeller 6. After the machine, has reached tion it is driven horizontally by adjusting the propeller 6 so that both propellers 4 and 6 operate with a like power.

The several operating levers 13, 19, 23 and 24 extend within convenient reach of the desired eleva-.

the operatorand each is provided with the us'ualhand latch and notched bar for holding it, the lever, in, the adjusted position. When startingthe machine the clutch 12 is moved to free the engine after which the latter is started and when the engine has acquired proper speed the clutch 12 ,is moved to throw the enginein gear, thereby operating the propellers land 6 so as to drive the machine over the surface. When the machine acquires the proper speed lever 23 is operated to depress the-front wheels 21, with the result that the front end of the plane 1 is elevated and a continued forward movement of the machine causes it to rise. After the machine. has left the ground its ascent is controlled by means of the lever 24, which changes the in clvination of the wings of the propeller 6 to cause the latter 'to operate with a greater 01' less force to tilt the plane 1 to a greater or less angle so as to regulate'the ascent of the machine. "When it is required to descend the clutch 12 is shifted to disconnect the engine when the machine will drop grad ually after the manner of a parachute. It is noted that the engine although out of gear is nevertheless free to operate and should occasion require the speed of the the engine may be accelerated and the clutch 12 thrown into action to start the propellers to cause the machine to again rise or to move forward to clear a dangerous place. By having the plane 1 located at the top of the machine and the weight at the base the stability of the machine is assured, thereby preventing overturning.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the advantages of the construction and of the method of operation will be readily apparent to 'those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and while I have described the principle of operation of the invention, together with the device which]. now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the device shown is merely illustrativo, and that .such changes may be made when desired as-are within the scope of the claim appended hereto.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new, is:-

In a flying machine, upper and lower propellers. located the'one at the front and the other at the reai'ef the machine, means In testimony whereof I ufllx my signature 'fordrlvmg the propellers at a given s eed, in presence of two witnesses.

and means for changing the angle 0 the r" w blades of the lower rear propeller whereby QR v5 its effective force is varied to govern the Witnesses:

ascentpf the machine when in flight by Oscnn Nwnons, v eansing the machine to tilt. GLENN D. GIBSON. 

